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To those of you still mired in the throes of winter around the country, I bring tidings from an early spring. Here in Northern California, spring vegetables are starting to show up in our local farmer's market, and, groundhog prognostication or not, they will be showing up in local farmers' markets all over the country very soon. The season is about to change, and with that change comes a fresh crop of bright new flavors. One of the spring crops I'm always excited to see is green garlic, a young crop of garlic that looks similar to a green onion but offers a subdued version of mature garlic's flavor.
If you're unfamiliar with green garlic, it can be easy to confuse with spring onions. However, as Darya Pino of Summer Tomato explains, you can distinguish green garlic by "the slightly purple tint that can sometimes appear on the stalks," or its leaves: "Green garlic is distinct in that the leaves are flat instead of round."
Susan of In My Kitchen Garden explains what a boon this crop is for farmers looking to increase their yields for market.
Brianna, who writes Oishii with her partner, Dustin, offers up a great way to use green garlic with leftover steak in Egg Noodles with Green Garlic, Chiles, Cilantro & Steak. Brianna explains that you can chop green garlic and use it "in any recipe where you'd use regular garlic. It has a more subtle garlic flavor, which worked really well in this simple, olive oil-based pasta dish!"
Katie of Thyme for Cooking offers a recipe for Shrimp in Green Sauce and another for Orzo with Green Garlic and Marscapone in her post on 101 Uses for Green Garlic. Though the post itself doesn't offer 101 uses, she says, "Right now I'm looking for 101 uses for green garlic," which she first tasted at a restaurant in Huesca, Spain. "It was love at first bite," she says.
Caroline of Whipped provides a simple-but-delicious recipe for Kale with Green Garlic that she describes as having a "slight sweetness ... after cooking."
"These were the best greens I have ever made," Caroline says. "I didn't just TRY to like them. I took a second helping because I truly wanted it."
Another simple vegetarian recipe that highlights a number of fresh spring farmers' market treats is Asparagus & Edamame Salad with Green Garlic from Jocelyn of She Spills The Beans. "Those of you who eschew soy, take heart; you could make this with lima or fava beans and achieve a lovely result as well," Jocelyn says. "I had this all on its own for a light dinner. It would also work well over pasta or with a risotto."
If seafood's more your style, try the Snapper with Farro, Black Rice, Green Garlic, and Tangerine recipe available from Lisa of Lisa Is Cooking. "I have to say again that it just looked so great in the book that I had really worked up high expectations," Lisa says. "And, yes, it was that good. The sauce was brightly fruit flavored and not too rich, and the farro and rice were chewy and substantial without being heavy. The chile de arbol and green garlic added nice pops of flavor, the pea shots were freshness itself, and the fish was light and nicely seasoned."
For more musings on green garlic, visit these posts:
- Green Garlic by Shauna of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef
- How Green Was My Garlic (Scapes) from Barbara of Tigers & Strawberries
Here are some additional green garlic recipes that showcase this Spring treat:
